Halloween is just around the corner, and if your friend group is anything like mine, no one’s figured out what to wear to all of the upcoming costume parties! Of course, you and your BFFs want to show up to the spooky festivities in style, and what better way to do that than with an awesome group costume? So, whether you’ve stumbled across this article after a last-minute google search for costume ideas (pretty much what I do every year), or whether you’re trying to avoid breaking the bank on a one-time costume, look no further! Here’s a list of 9 low-effort, low-cost group costume ideas so you and your squad can celebrate the Spooky Season in style!
- The Scooby-Doo Gang
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Childhood nostalgia + construction paper dog ears + a quick search through your grandma’s extensive collection of scarves = the perfect homage to the show that kick-started your adulthood obsession with crime shows.
- The “Spice” Girls
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There are technically two routes you can take with this costume: either dress up as the actual 90’s pop girl group, or take creative license and be actual spices! You really can’t go wrong here.
- The Residents of Bikini Bottom
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This costume idea can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. If your friend owns brown shorts, a red tie, and a white button up, they could go be Spongebob, and you could wear a pink shirt with green shorts (with some flowers painted on with fabric paint) and you instantly have two of the most iconic cartoon characters of our generation!
- Puns
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My sophomore year, my roommates and I were out of ideas the morning of a big Halloween party. Finally, we thought of the perfect conversation-starting costumes: puns! You could either be one overarching pun (like “French Kiss” in the photo above) or mix it up with different costumes with a matching theme! When my roommates and I tried this idea, two of them made homemade “Holy Cow” and “Oh Deer” costumes using clothes they already had in their wardrobes.
- Mean Girls
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Let’s be honest, we all secretly wanted to be like Regina George and her iconic trio when we watched Mean Girls for the first time. So, this Halloween could be your squad’s chance to channel your inner Plastics. If that’s not really your style, why not dress up as the “outsiders” Janis, Cady and Damien instead?
- The Residents of Sesame Street
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With a quick trip to the craft store for some googly eyes and colorful feathers, each member of your squad can create their own renditions of classic Sesame Street puppets like Bert, Ernie, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, or Big Bird!
- The Addams Family
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If you and your group are looking for a more off-color DIY costume (and happen to have a lot of black in your wardrobes), dress up as the iconically eccentric Adams Family!
- The Powerpuff Girls
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All you need for this costume is two super friends, three oversized t-shirts, black fabric paint, and a red bow for Blossom. Can it get any simpler?
- The Belcher family from Bob’s Burgers
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Channel everyone’s favorite cartoon restaurateurs with this Bob’s Burgers group costume. You may need to DIY a pink hat for Louise’s character, but this one’s sure to be a great conversation starter at parties!
As you can see, there’s an endless list of iconic pop culture squads to emulate this Halloween. Coordinating a clever group costume with your friends doesn’t have to require pre-ordering expensive superhero suits on Amazon or following complicated Youtube makeup tutorials. The best part about this particular list of group costume ideas is the fact that most of the pieces are probably already in your closet or easy to DIY. And remember: whether you and your BFFs end up going as the Powerpuff Girls or opt for separate but equally awesome costumes, have a safe Halloween and stick with your friends!